A V-shaped flat-sided photobioreactor (working volume: 2 litre) was de
signed and used to grow the microalga Porphyridium cruentum for biopol
ymer production. Mixing of culture in the bioreactor was provided by a
mixture of air/CO2 supplied through sintered glass in the form of fin
e bubbles from the base of the bioreactor. The advantages of this flat
-sided photobioreactor are the high surface-to-volume ratio, efficient
mixing, low shear force, low cost and absence of wall growth.